What Is Intelligence?
Intelligence is often confused with a lot of other things. Some believe that they are intelligent because they have a very good memory while others may believe that they are intelligent because they know a lot but I fear neither of the two makes you intelligent. Knowing a lot just comes back to having a good memory.
It is handy to have a good memory and it is handy to know a lot but it is worthless if you cannot apply the knowledge that you have memorized.
Intelligence is the ability to solve new problems with your existing knowledge and thereby gaining new knowledge.
So does intelligence then depend on dexterity? The answer is ‘no’.
It goes about identifying and understanding the problem. Then you have to apply your existing knowledge to solve the new challenge. Whether you solve the problem on your own, or tell somebody else how to remedy the problem is not important. What is important is that the problem was identified and solved.
What is true is that a person with a greater knowledge will appear to have more intelligence than somebody with the same intelligence and a lesser knowledge; simply because he has more to fall back on when new challenges arrive.
On average, we are no more intelligent now than the people who lived 3000 years ago. We only have more technology and therefore more knowledge. In fact, with all the lead and other chemicals we have been exposed to, we may even be less intelligent that 3000 years ago.
Taking a strange object apart and putting it together again requires only a good memory and dexterity. Understanding what it does, how it is done, and how you can use it to your advantage requires intelligence.
But be careful, the very person that you may consider as a dumb a** may be a genius in another field that you could never dream to grasp.
Have a great week.
Comments (81)
Intelligence is the ability to solve new problems with your existing knowledge and thereby gaining new knowledge
as it is so true to me...
That is the accepted definition for intelligence. If you want an intelligent person look for a resourceful person. If he knows a lot on top of it, it is a bonus.
at least I did, with a C
I started watching the news lately because I wanted to seem Intelligent. And thereby gained new knowledge that Intelligence was the monitoring of all my friends Facebook information, and lying that they had Weapons of mass destruction..
But I know, I did not reach this conclusion on my own.
A well written and insightful piece Catfoot.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.
I love algebra. To some it may seem senseless but it certainly teaches us to reason.
I wonder why they opted to call that intelligence?
To me, spying on others is just snooping.
I Quadal
Yes, I think he went that way.
Yes, intelligence is about overcoming new obstacles and to find new solutions for old problems. Not about learning new facts out of a book or making calculations in your head.
I took the IQ test about 3 times
always the same result..."Average"
Like emotional intelligence?
Or artistic, or aesthetic intelligence?
If the accepted definition of intelligence is to do with the ability to solve problems, who has accepted this? Has anyone not accepted it?
Knowing what you cannot do is as important as knowing what you are capable of.
lukie pukie
lukie pukie
That just comes to proof how consistent you are?
Intelligence is the ability to solve new problems with your existing knowledge and thereby gaining new knowledge.
To me, that is the key to expanding your intelligence!
Now those are some really intelligent questions.
I have recently discovered a new problem on my blog but with my limited knowledge and rather average intelligence I could not solve it yet. However I have acquired new knowledge by reading some forum posts and may soon come up with a solution.
Regretfully I cannot answer any of your questions now.
I think that intelligence is not about how much you know, but to realize how little you know!
Also, to know where to find the information you need.
Yes my friend, with enough imagination and a deep knowledge in a certain field even somebody with a lower that average intelligence can cook up a new scheme to con naive people out of their assets.
Bless your superiority
Yes, I agree with all you say. Knowledge and intelligence goes hand in hand. The one is pretty ineffective without the other.
I do not really believe that we can expand our intelligence. I think it is more likely to expand our IQ which is a combination of, amongst other, intelligence and knowledge.
the coolee dam in usa, didn't have a college degree
I will tend to disagree with you to some extend. Imo you are talking about the acquisition of knowledge and not the applications of it.
For example, researching on how to solve an old problem with an already tried and tested solution does not indicate intelligence. That is learning from the intelligent thoughts of somebody else.
Intelligence is finding new solutions to new problems or better solutions to old problems. Just my opinion.
Well, what do you know! For once I can agree with you. Intelligence is just a part of IQ but this blog is not about IQ. I just mentioned it en passant in another comment. Perhaps you can post a blog on IQ and aptitude; it should be a very interesting topic.
A tiny correction; intelligence is not buying a cat in a bag.
I didn't mean to cause you distress.
It his how well you apply the nothing that you know that shows intelligence. A lecturer told me years ago that silence was the only substitute for brains. I should have listened to him.
May I point it out to you that your comment was not addressed to anyone in particular and therefor - I think - it was an intelligent assumption that it was directed at the original poster who just so happened to be yours truly.
Oh no! Your comments cause me no stress. On the contrary, I look forward to them. The liven up my otherwise monotonous blogs.
Yes, brilliant ideas does not need college degrees. They don't teach you that at college. You just acquire previously known knowledge at a college and what you do with that knowledge will determine your outcome.
It is not so much about how much you know but rather how you use what is available to you.